Garrett’s frustration was clear in his sigh. “Calen. You’ve been unhappy for months. I can’t remember when you weren’t sarcastic and frustrated. This isn’t you. What’s going on?”
“Nothing’s going on. I’m fine.”
Garrett looked at him and it felt like the other Dom was trying to see inside his head. There was no way he would guess the problem. It had taken Calen a long time to admit it to himself.
“Nothing? You’re going to stand there pretending everything is fine?” Disbelief threaded its way through Garrett’s voice and Calen knew he was barely holding back a sarcastic remark.
“Everythingisfine.” Maybe if he said it enough, it would sound believable.
“If that’s the only thing you have to say then I think you need a vacation. You haven’t taken time off in months, if not longer, and if you’re so stressed that you’re not sleeping well then you are going to take a break. Maybe some time off will help you work out whatever you’re struggling with.”
“What! I don’t need time off!” More time to think was the last thing he needed. Keeping his mind occupied with work gave him a break from real life. Besides, he had several big policies he was working on for a local small business that was starting to offer benefits for its employees.
“Not negotiable. I’ll handle anything you’re working on. You’re going to take a week off. If that’s not long enough for you to figure out what the problem is, we’ll work out more time. I need you here and lately you’ve been somewhere else. Get your shit figured out, if you don’t want to talk about it with me.”
Calen thought he could hear a thread of hurt in his friend’s voice. “Hey, that’s not—”
“Save the bullshit for someone else. I can’t make you tell me what’s going on, but you can’t go on like this and we both know it. Besides, if you really didn’t need the time off, you’d be putting up a lot bigger fight. God, between you and Brent I’m going to go crazy.”
“What about Brent?” Yeah, like that wasn’t going to give him away. Maybe Garrett would think it was his way of deflecting the comment about the time off. Because that was bullshit.
Luckily, Garrett didn’t think anything of it. “He’s been nearly as crabby as you lately. I made him take some time off work, too.” Garrett gave Calen a wicked grin. “I threatened to sick Mom on him if he didn’t figure his shit out. Maybe I should make the same deal with you.”
“Hey, that’s playing dirty.” While the thought of Garrett’s mother hovering over him made him nuts, Calen hoped the teasing meant they were done with the soul searching bonding moment but no such luck.
Getting serious again, Garrett gave Calen a pointed look. “I’m not even going to ask you if it’s about work because I know you’d tell me if something here was wrong. Whatever personal shit you have going on, it's making you crazy. I’m here if you need to talk. As long as it’s not at work. You’re banished for seven days.”
“So I’m grounded, Dad?” Calen couldn't resist a grin. Garrett was hilarious when he pulled his “mother hen” routine. And maybe if Calen could lighten things up, Garrett would back off with the questions.
“Yes. Grounded from work for being insane. You can come back when you’ve handled the problem. Or are ready totalkabout it!” Garrett shook his head and took a deep breath. “Go home and get more sleep. If you’re bored, give Brent a call later. He’ll probably be climbing the walls by the afternoon. He’s more of a workaholic than you are.”
Trying to keep his face blank, Calen inwardly groaned. Yeah, calling the object of all his craziness would not make things better. “Sure.”
“You two are going to be the death of me. Go home.” Then Garrett pushed off his desk and came over to look into Calen’s eyes. “You’re my best friend.”
“Mushy dork. Having a full-time sub is making you all lovey-dovey.”
Garrett realized he was trying to deflect but luckily he didn’t say anything, letting him get away with it for the time being. “Damn right.”
Calen was glad the two men had stopped circling around each other and finally admitted what they wanted. Garrett said over and over that they were taking things slowly but Calen knew it was only a matter of time before they had a collaring ceremony and were living together.
Irritated with how the conversation had gone, escape seemed like the best option. Before he said something he’d regret—like actually talk about what was wrong. Calen reached out and gave Garrett’s shoulder a squeeze and moved away from the door. “I’m heading back to bed. I’ll talk to you later.”
Garrett’s expression was full of frustration but he seemed to accept that he wasn’t going to find out anything else right then. “Good. Have some fun and don’t forget to call Brent. He seems like he could use a distraction.”
Great. Just great. “Sure.”
He had a week off and instructions to spend time with the man who didn’t want him. Perfect.
****
It took him a long nap and two strong cups of coffee before he fully processed what his friend had said.Brent was miserable.
That didn’t exactly make him happy—but it did make him think.
Brent was usually even-tempered and had a way of organizing everyone without being obnoxious. He was the king of getting meetings back on track and keeping his brothers in line. For him to be considered cranky it had to be something serious. Calen couldn’t remember anything flustering him. If he was upset or even distracted enough to make his brothers worry, it was important.
Would it be too much to hope that he’d been remembering that night as well?
